Explosive-engine.



W. J. WRIGHT.

EXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 1, 1911.

1,023,607. Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

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WITNESSES:

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 50-, WASHINGTON. D. c.

W. J; WRIGHT. BXPLOSIVE ENGINE.

1,023,607. I APPLICATION FILE-D MAY 1, 1911. Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A TTORIVEKS II@EQ WILLIAM J. WRIGHT, 0F FRANKLIN, PENNSYLVANIA.

EXPLOSIVE-ENGINE.

Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

This application filed May 1, 1911.

Serial No. 624,289.

To all whom 1' 15 may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM J. IVRIGHT, residing at Franklin, in the county of Venango and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Explosive Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is in the nature of an improved type of explosive engine designed to produce four explosions or impelling forces during each complete revolution of the crank shaft and it primarily seeks to provide an engine of the character stated, of a compact and simple construction, capable of being economically manufactured and to produce a maximum power from a minimum supply of working agent with practically no waste of the said agent.

My invention generally comprehends an improved arrangement of a pair of working cylinders, a pumping cylinder common to both working cylinders having means within it adapted under one action to draw in a working charge while at the same time a charge previously drawn in, independent of the other charge, is being expelled into that compartment of the working cylinders in which the last explosion occurred and under another movement or action, adapted to expel the just drawn in charge under pressure into that compartment in the working cylinder next to be exploded while at the same time it is again drawing in a new charge of working agentto be used in that compartment of the working cylinders in which the following explosion is to occur.

In its more subordinate features, my present invention embodies an improved construction of connection that joins the four explosion compartments of the two working cylinders and a special type of valve devices controlled by the movement of the pump piston rod adapted to be auto matically shifted at predetermined times, whereby to lead the one charge and then another working charge respectively, first into the explosion compartmentat one end of one working cylinder and then into the explosion compartment of the other end of the other working cylinder, then into the other explosion compartment of the first named cylinder and finally into the other explosion compartment of the other cylinder.

In its still more subordinate features, my invention consists in an improved arrangement of the working cylinder pistons and details of construction and peculiar combination of parts, all of which will be fully described, then pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a top plan view of my improved engine, parts being in horizontal section. Fig. 2, is a vertical longitudinal section thereof taken substantially on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, is a transverse section on the line 83 of Fig. 1. Fig. l is a longitudinal section taken through the pump cylinder taken on the line 44 of Fig. 3.

In the practical arrangement of my present invention, I mount the two working cylinders A and B upon a suitable supporting frame and below the said cylinders and located centrally between them I mount the pump cylinder P and the pistons in the working cylinders have their rods connected with cross heads joined with the crank members c0 of the crank shaft which cranks are arranged on quarters to effect two complete reciprocal motions of the pistons for the working cylinders under each complete rotation of the crank shaft 0', and the piston of the pump cylinder is connected with the crank shaft C in such a manner that the piston in the said pump cylinder will have two complete reciprocal motions to one reciprocal motion of either of the pistons of the working cylinder as hereinafter explained. As the two working cylinders A and B are constructed alike, a detailed description of one of the said-cylinders will suffice for both.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be noticed that the cylinder A has a water jacket or space a with which communicates a short pipe a that passes through an aperture of in the cylinder and discharges into the piston chamber of the said cylinder, and the said pipe has an outlet a normally in open communication with the water space 0;, adapted to be opened or closed by an adjustable valve 3 actuated from the outside of the cylinder, see Fig. 3

in such manner that the fluid within the said ec of the cylinder to lead off the cooling agent that is fed into the interior of the hollow piston C. The piston C comprises two end sections 0c which are mounted with their facing ends separated; and to provide for a free distribution of the cooling agent within the said piston the said ends are formed with a series of annularly arranged notches c -c as shown. The piston section 0 is secured to the threaded end 0 of the piston rod 0 and the piston section a is similarly connected by a screw joint with the hollow piston rod section 4P, which rod section at points between the inwardly projecting hubs 0 c of the end cylinder sections 0-0 is of an enlarged diameter to provide for a solid bearing or connection of the said two piston sections 0 and c on the piston rod and the piston rod portion 0* where it enters the hollow piston G, and at that part that moves within the cylinder A and the gland a is also made tubular to admit of the inflow of the cooling agent to said part of the piston rod, which agent enters through a slit 0 in the top of the enlarged portions of the piston rod located within the piston C. To provide for holding the fluid within the said tubular portion and at the same time maintain a circulation of the cooling fluid, the said piston rod section 0 is provided with several small jet outlets c in the bottom thereof for the escape of the fluid into the hollow piston C.

The pump cylinder P, the construction of which is best shown in Fig. 4, consists of two piston heads 79 p, which, through the means hereinafter described, are mounted within the said cylinder P to move in opposite directions, that is, to and from each other and the piston 19 has a rod p that extends forwardly through the piston 79 and through the hollow piston rod p connected to the said head 79, which rods 39 -10 are connected to an actuating means mounted on the crank shaft C in the nature of an elongated or elliptical cam p and with the camway 9, with which the outer ends of the piston rods p -p connect, as best shown in Fig. 2, by reference to which it will be noticed that the rod connects with a cross head 3 that joins with a pivoted lever :11 which has a roller bearing as engaging the cam way 29 and the rod 39 has a similar cross head and rod connection with a second pivoted lever Y having a roller bearing Y that engages the said cam-way at a point diametrically opposite to the connection of the other piston lever H that actuates the rod 2 the said cam being so arranged that during the rotation of the crank shaft the two piston heads ;0p will move toward and from each other for the purposes presently explained, and at this point it should be stated that by reason of the cam connections for the pump piston heads p79 with the crank shaft C, the said heads will be re ciprocated within the pump cylinder twice during a single reciprocation of either of the working cylinders, and four times during one complete revolution of the crank shaft C.

In my present construction of engine I have incorporated an improved arrangement of valve mechanism combined with a single feed pipe through which the working agent, mixed air and gas, is supplied, and lead pipes that join the four explosion chambers in the two working cylinders with the pump cylinder, whereby each complete reciprocative movement of the opposing piston heads therein will serve to draw a new charge into the pump cylinder while a prior charge is being'pushed out into the working chamber finally exhausting, whereby to drive out the burned residue therein and fill it with a fresh supply of working mixture to be compressed on the return movement of the piston therein.

It should be stated that in my present construction of engine, the two pistons in the pump cylinder are actuated to effect a pumping of a new charge into the pump cylinder and simultaneously force out a prior charge drawn therein, and to produce such duplex controlling of the working agent alternately with respect to the piston strokes, that is, under a separating movement of the pistons p 9 a new fuel charge is drawn into the cylinder P between said pistons as two half charges behind the said pistons are being forced out into the duct or pipe that conveys the two half charges to that combustion chamber of the working cylinders into which the charge is to be next compressed, and when the pistons 29 p approach, the fuel charge therebetween is then fed through the duct or pipe that conveys the charge to the next compressing end of the cylinders as two new half charges of working agent are drawn into the cylinder P back of pistons pp.

The valve connections that join the feed pipe F with the pump and the working cylinders are best shown in Figs. 1 and t by reference to which it will be seen the intake ports X, X and X of the working cylinders AB each communicate with a casing, the several casings being designated W, W lV and W, and in each casing is a valve 'w normally held closed by the springs 5 on the valve stems that project upwardly from the valve casings and are arranged to be engaged by cams l, 2, 3 and 4 on a shaft 40 that extends lengthwise the machine and is geared with a worm gear 41 on the crank shaft to provide for a complete revolution of the shaft 40 with each revolution of the crank shaft. It should be stated that the several cams 1, 2, 3 and 4 are arranged to effect the opening of the several valves 10 at predetermined times,

whereby to provide for first opening the valve for port X in cylinder A then port X in cylinder B then port X in cylinder A and finally port X in cylinder 13. The

, casings for the intake ports X and X connect with a lead pipe 2' and the ports X and X with a lead pipe 3, and the two lead pipes 2 and 3' are joined by a cross pipe at, one end of which joins with a valve casing 20 in pipe 2 and the other end with a valve casing 30 in pipe 3 and the two casings 20 and 30 each have a pendent pipe portion 21 and 31, one of which 21 communicates with one end of the pump cylinder P back of the piston 79' and the other 31 communicates with the cylinder P centrally thereof between the pistons 39-1). A third pipe section 22 leads into the other end of the cylinder P back of the piston 79 and connects with pipe 2. The feed pipe F is always out out of direct communication with the cylinders A and B by reason of the closure of the valves for the intake ports X, X X and X the valve 50 in the casing 20 and the valve 60 in casing 30 which valves 50 and 60 control the lead of the working agent to the pump cylinder and which, at predetermined times, are mechanically opened by the cams 51 and 61 on the cam shaft.

By reason of the valved connections between the working and pumping cylinders and the feed pipe, as stated and shown, in operation, assuming an explosion as just taking place in cylinder A, the pistons p-p traveling in the direction indicated by the arrows and just about to finish their out stroke, the two half charges between the pistons pp and the ends of cylinder P will now be still going out through the pipes 2221, the pipe 2 and into cylinder A throughport X, the controlling valve of which is now mechanically held open until the piston in cylinder A passes back in direction of the arrow sufficient to cover the exhausts in front of it, when the valve for port X closes, when the pistons 79p begin to move toward each other and draw in new half charges back of them through pipes 21-22, the valve in casing 30 being now mechanically opened to permit the explosive mixture to pass into pipes 21, 2 and 22 and while such operation of taking in a new charge is being effected the prior new charge now between the pistons pp is being forced out into pipe 31, casing 30, the valve therein that controls the lead to the feed pipe F being now closed, into pipe 3 and from said pipe through the port X in the cylinder A, it being understood the several cams and the valves actuated thereby are in practice so timed that the operation of feeding the charges to the four explosion chambers of the two cylinders will follow in proper periods and sequence.

This application is a continuation of application, Serial No. 299,892, filed February 7, 1906.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A gas engine, comprising a pair of working cylinders, pistons therein arranged to receive an explosive impulse at each end of the cylinders, the crank shaft, a pump including a common cylinder and a pair of cooperating pistons in communication with the opposite explosion ends of both working cylinders and connected with the crank shaft, valve mechanisms for controlling the working agent feed to the pump and from the pump to the cylinders and means actuated from the engine shaft for shifting the valve mechanism to open communication between the pump and the explosion ends of the working cylinders whereby to effect an explosion at each quarter revolution of the engine shaft.

2. An explosive engine comprising the fol lowing elements in combination; a pair of like constructed working cylinders and pistons therefor, a pump including a cylinder common to both working cylinders and a pair of cooperating pump pistons within said pump cylinder, the crank shaft, connections that join the two working pistons to the crank shaft, each of the working cylinders having a valved intake port at each end, mechanical devices geared with a crank shaft for opening the valves for the several intake ports for the working cylinders at predetermined times, gear connections that join the pump pistons with the crank shaft to effect two reciprocations thereof to one reciprocation of either of the working pistons, a working agent feed, valved leads therefrom to the pump, and means actuated from the crank shaft for opening the valves in the said leads at predetermined times, substantially as shown and described.

3. An explosive engine comprising a pair of working cylinders, their pistons, the crank shaft and connections joining said shaft and the working pistons set on quarters, said working cylinders each having a valved intake at each end, and centrally disposed exhausts controlled by the working pistons, automatic means for actuating the valves for the intakes at predetermined times, a working agent feed, pump mechanism constructed to expel a charge into the working cylinder and simultaneously draw in a new charge for that cylinder end next exhausting, and automatically acting valve mechanism for controlling the direction of the agent feed into the pump mechanism, said pump mechanism including a common pump cylinder and a pair of cooperating pistons.

l. The combination with two working cylinders, each having an automatic valve controlled intake in each end, a pair of exhausts centrally thereof controlled by the working pistons, the crank shaft and the working pistons; of a short stroke pump mechanism comprising a cylinder, two piston heads; said cylinder having a port at each end and one midway thereof, a valved lead pipe that joins the central port with the opposite ends of one working cylinder, a second valved lead pipe that connects the end ports with the ends of the other cylinder, a working agent feed pipe connected to both lead pipes, controlling valves in said feed pipe, means actuated by the crank shaft for reciprocating the two piston heads in the pump cylinder in opposite directions, and means operated from the engine shaft for actuating the several valves for the lead to the working cylinder intakes and in the feed pipe at predetermined intervals, as set forth.

5. In an explosive engine of the character described, the combination with the two working cylinders, their pistons and the crank shaft, said cylinders being arranged to have an explosion in each end; of a short stroke pump mechanism having a central valved lead to the opposite ends of one working cylinder, a valved lead connected with each end of the other Working cylinder and each end of the pump cylinder, a pair of opposing piston heads in the pump cylinder, and means actuated from the crank shaft for actuating the opposing pistons to make two complete strokes to one stroke of either working piston, and a valved working agent feed in communication with the valved pipe leads to the pump cylinder, as set forth.

6. In an explosive engine of the character described, the, combination with two work ing cylinders having a valved intake at each end, the Working pistons therefor and the crank shaft; of a short stroke pump cylin-- der, a valved lead pipe connecting the intake ends of one working cylinder with the center of the pump cylinder, another valved lead pipe which connects both ends of the pump cylinder with the intake ends of the other working cylinder, a pipe connection that joins the two lead pipes, a valved working agent feed pipe that discharges into said connecting pipe, a pair of opposing piston heads in the pump cylinder that work between the center and end ports therein, the rod of one piston head working through the other piston head and its rod, and a rotary cam connecting the ends of the two piston rods to impart uniform reverse movementthereto, and means coupled with the crank shaft for imparting two revolutions to the cam to one of the crank shaft, as set forth.

WM. J. WVRIGHT.

Witnesses:

R. L. ARMSTRONG, FRANK C. EBB.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

